How to Create a Healthy Diet Plan after Anorexia

Anorexia as you may know is a very severe eating disorder in which a person refuses to sustain body weight close to fifteen percent of normal ideal weight. There are mainly two types of anorexia; one in which a person controls calorie intake severely as well as does excessive exercises while in second type of anorexia the person purges after taking a meal for losing weight.

The good thing is that this problem is treatable using psychotherapy, dietary intervention and medical treatments. After recovery, a proper dietary plan can help in gaining total wellness.

The Diet Plan after Anorexia

The diet plan you start after anorexia should be such that it aides emotional as well as physical wellness and encourages long-term stable recovery. You will have to follow the diet plan made by your dietician or health advisor strictly. It will also be important to maintain healthy diet over a long period to have complete recovery. Additionally, the diet plan should be created in such a manner that it also focuses on complications that may have arisen because of anorexia like nutrient deficiency.

USDA Eating Plan:

Normally a proper diet after anorexia will consist of three meals as well as snacks spread throughout the day as suggested by your dietician. However, you can also USDA diet plan according to which a proper diet after anorexia should contain a mix of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, proteins and grains in balanced proportions. You may also keep a food journal to track progress as well as share the same with your dietician.

Challenges to Face:

There will be many challenges that you will have to face while trying to maintain a proper diet. As you start following a diet plan, your weight will begin to improve but psychological repercussions of anorexia will remain for some time. Till the time your weight stabilizes, you may have to continue taking more calories and this process may continue for a couple of years.

You will have to accept the fact that it is necessary to eat more than what you eat normally as well as there will be weight gain which otherwise may seem unacceptable to you. In case, your digestive system suffers due to anorexia, then you may have to face problems, such as constipation and bloating, in the initial stages.

Food Selection

Your food comprise of complex carbohydrates like starchy vegetables and whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates like sugar and bread.

Make use of proteins sources that have low percentage of saturated fat such as fish, poultry, lean meat, tofu and egg whites. Some of the sources for healthy fat include olive oils, avocado, nuts and canola oils, which you can include in your diet plan. In order to avoid sense of deprivation from creeping in, you may want to add occasional treats like sweet desserts.

Preventing Relapse

Having the right diet plan is important in many ways, not only it helps you to develop overall wellness but also aids in preventing relapses, which are commonly seen in people with anorexia.

These relapses can be serious and result in development of new complications or other eating disorders like binging as well as cause severe depression. Thus, your goal should be to bring about gradual changes, which can provide long-term benefits.

Sample Eating Disorder Recovery Meal Plan

7:30am

• Banana
• ½ cup or 1 serving Cereal
• 1 cup Milk (dairy, soy, almond, etc)

10:00am

• Protein shake or ½ cup cottage cheese w/pineapple

12:30pm

• Turkey sandwich with slice of cheese on 2 slices whole wheat bread
• Carrots and celery w/low fat ranch dressing

3:00pm

• 1 serving crackers, pretzels or popcorn

6:00pm

• Grilled chicken breast
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 cup noodles w/1 T butter
• 1 cup milk or soy milk

8:30pm

• 1 cup yogurt w/1 medium apple

Conclusion

Anorexia is a serious eating disorder and only a well planned out diet routine can help you get back into adapting normal eating habits. Your diet plan should be such that it includes all the food products, which provide you necessary nutrients in a balanced way. If you follow a proper diet plan with dedication then its benefits will start to show up within some time.

Source: drprem.com